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(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

G H. GRIGGS. LOGOMOTIYE SPARK ARRESTER AND CONSUMER.

No. 316,892. Patented Apr. 28, 1885.

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LOGOMOTIVE SPARK ARRESTE'R AND GONSUMER. No. 316,892. Patented Apr. 28, 1885.

'In'uenor:

UNITED STATES PATENT Genres...

GEORGE H. GRIGGS, OF HORNELLSVILLE, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO CHARLES F. PIKE, OE PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

LOCOMOTIVE SPARK ARRESTER AND CONSUMER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent N0.3l6,892, dated April 28, 1885.

Application filed August 6, 1884. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, GEORGE H. Games, of Hornellsville, in the county of Steuben and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Locomotive Spark Arresters and Consumers; and I do hereby declare that the following specification, taken in connection with the drawings furnished and forming a part of the same, is a clear, true, and complete description of the several features of my invention.

My said improvements involve the employment of spark-return fines communicating between the smoke-arch and fire-box, and livesteam jets within said flue, both of which features have been heretofore proposed and employed in considerable variety of construction and arrangement. So far as my knowledge extends, however, I am the first toso organize live-steam jets in a spark-return flue that they will of necessity operate variably, according to the varied conditions of service. In other words, all prior steam-jets in spark-fines have derivedtheirlive steam directly from the boiler;

butI have coupled my jets to the steam-pine by which the cylinders are supplied with steam, so that said jets will be always proportioned to the blast induced by the column of exhauststeam from the cylinders, it being obvious that the quantity of sparks to be controlled and conveyed to the furnace will necessarily be varied according to the variable vacuum induced in the smoke-arch by the variable blast of the exhaust-steam, and therefore for my steamjets I use no more steam than is actually required from time to time. Another advantage due to this novel arrangement is that the steam issuing from said jets is more orless pulsatory in its delivery, due to the intermittin g delivery of steam to the cylinders, and especially if the latter be operating when the throttlevalve is partially closed. This pulsatory jet is obviously more effective in driving and oth-. erwise moving solid particles of matter than a 4 5: continuous jet delivering the same quantity of steam in a given time.

Another advantage in this connection is that the delivery of steam into the fire-box is fairly proportioned to the quantity of solid matter in transit in the re-- turn-flues,said matter being particles of hotlive coals, yielding much inflammable gas, which is always effectively consumed if a proper proportion of steam be commingled therewith.

Another novel feature devised by me is a sparkreturn flue having a jet adjacent to its mouth, and a second jet between said first jet and the furnace, and in the combination therewith of a smoke-arch having its floor inclined or funnel-shaped, and terminatingat the mouth of the Ieturnflue, so that the first or outer steam-jet serves as a driving element for forcing the solid matter and the gases emanating therefrom into the mouth of the return-flue, and the second jet, within the flue, operates not only as a driver, but also for inducing a vacuum behind it, thus providing for a complete control and the effectual delivery into the fire-box of such highlyheated solid matters as cannot pass the usual screen in the smoke-arch, as well as their gases. As the said first-named jet-pipe is sometimes liable to be exposed to high temperatures by being rest, or whenever stea in is not being supplied to the cylinders; butinstead of employin g a jet directly connected with the boiler, I have coupled it to the usual blower-pipe, so that said jet will always operate within the return-flue with more or less force, proportioned to the blast of steam under which the blower may be operated from time to time, thus not only avoid ing waste of steam, but also avoiding the introduction of steam to the fire-box in excess of that which will best contribute to perfect combustion. I have also introduced checkvalves into the jet-pipes which connect with the cylinder supply-pipe, for preventing any suction of dirt and abrasive matter into said supply'pipe at such times as the locomotive may be in motion, but with the throttle-valve closed. I have also provided my spark return flue with readily-accessible ports, having tight but movable covers, which enable the inspection of the interior of said flue at various points in its length, and for enabling a clearance thereof, if by accident it should become necessary. I have also provided a reciprocating agitator within said flue, and have coupled the same to the cylinder-cock shaft, so that it can be conveniently operated.

As another novel feature, I have provided the return-flue, at its forward end beneath the smoke-arch with a gated opening for the introduction of air, whenever it may be deemed desirable to deliver oxygen to the furnace by way of the return-flue, and have coupled a gate or valve, which controls said opening, with the cylinder-cock shaft for its convenient operation.

As another novel feature, I have provided against unduly wasteful radiation of heat from the sparks and cinders while in the smokearch by lining it with fire-brick, and for affording a smooth surface a sheet-iron lining is employed, which overlies said brick-work.

To more particularly describe my said improvements, I will refer to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a longitudinal vertical section of so much of a locomotive-boiler and accompanying mechanism as is deemed necessary for illustrating my improvements. Fig. 2 illustrates in section the water-jacketed steamjet tip employed in the entrance to the return-flue. Fig. 3 illustrates an arrangement of the netting within the smoke-arch, which can be employed in lieu of that shown in Fig. Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section illustrating the main features of my invention in a slightly modified'form. Fig. 5 is a plan view of the mouth of the return-flue of Fig. 4.

The boiler A can be widely varied in construction without departure from my invention. As here shown, it is provided with the usual tubes to, and fire-box b, the latter containing a brick arch, c, the sections of which 'are bound together by the T-headed bolts 0.

The smoke-arch d contains several novel features in construction, viz: Its lower surface is funnel-shaped, and terminates in a rearwardly-inclined mouth, as at al at the bottom of the arch; also, at its sides and bottom it is filled in with fire-brick d for preventing undue radiation of heat from the interior of the smoke-arch, and enabling the heat and gases contained in the solid matters to be retained therein, and ultimately utilized when delivered into the firebox. For securing a smooth surface, down which the solid matters can freely slide, a sheet-metal facing, d overlies the interior surface of the mass of fire-brick.

Within the smoke-arch, below and in line with the center of the stack B, there is the usual exhaust-pipe, e, as heretofore arranged, for connection on each side, as at 0, with the exhaust-ports of the locomotive cylinders. (Not here shown.)

The usual netting or screen is employed "for preventing the upward escape of solid matters from the smoke-arch. As shown in Fig. .1, the screen f extends from the front up, per end of the smoke-arch, downwardly and rearwardly, to the flue sheet or head of the boiler, above the tubes wand surrounding the top of the exhaust-pipe e, and also surrounding such other pipes as of necessity should pass through it. In lieu of this particular arrangement of the netting, it can be in the form of an inverted cone, as illus tra-ted in Fig. 3, thus obviating the passage through it of any other pipe than the exhaustpipe, which should of course have a free upward exit.

As usual, the steam-cylinders are supplied with steam from the dome of the boiler by way of the steam-pipe (3, which is provided with the usual throttle-valve, as at g, and at its forward end it passes through the boilerhead or front flue sheet, down through the smoke-arch, to a point proper for convenient connection with the cylinders.

As a novel feature, I have tapped the steampipe 0 with a steam jet-pipe, h, which extends downward into the month al of the funnel-shaped lining of the smoke-arch, and have provided said pipe h with a jet-aperture. This aperture can be varied in dimensions without departure from my invention; but I find that if it be about one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter it can generally be relied upon for obtaining the results I seek. As another novel feature, I have provided the jet-tip of the pipe h with a water-jacket, it,

connected by pipes h and k with the inte rior of the boiler at points above and also slightly below the water-jacket, so as to secure a good circulation therein, for preventing the heat liable to be developed at that point from injuring the tip whenever steam is not being supplied to the jet-pipe, as, for instance, when the engine is at rest, or when no steam is required while the engine is in motion.

The spark-return flue D is, when broadly considered, not new in so far as it serves as a conduit below the boiler from the smoke-arch to the fire-box for the passage of solid matters. This return-flue D is connected to the downwardly and rearwardly inclined mouth (1 at the bottom of the smoke-arch, and at its forward end said return-flue is provided with an enlarged mouth, '1', similar to return-flues as heretofore constructed. As a novel feature in this connection, I have provided said mouth i with a damper or cover, 6, which is mounted on an arm which projects from the cylindercoek shaft E, so that when the latter is rocked or rotated as usual, by the engineer in the cab, by way of the usual rod-connections, (as

for freeing the cylinders from water,) the damper can be opened or closed. Inasmuch as the cylinder-cock shaft is utilized by me for the purpose indicated, to obviate the necessity for other special mechanism for conveniently opening and closing said damper, it

is to be understood that special mechanism may be employed without departure from this portion of my invention, it being obvious that at times it will be desirable to exclude atmospheric oxygen from said flue, and that at other times a supply thereof will serve a good ing out the flue if need be.

purpose. As another novel feature in this connection, I have provided the return-flue with a series of openings, 70, each provided with a sliding or other cover, whereby access may be conveniently had to the interior of the flue for purposes of inspection, and for clear- The return-flue D is provided with areciprocatin g agitator, l, which, broadly considered, is not new; but a novel feature in this connection consists in cause a stirring up of such solid matter as may perchance be lodged within the flue. As another novel feature in this connection, I

have provided the return flue, near its entrance into the fire-box, with asecond jetpipe, m, which extends from the steam-pipe C within the smoke-arch downward beneath the boiler, above the return-flue, and thence downward and into said flue, its jet-tip being located near the entrance to the lire-box, and

centrally within the flue. This jet-pipe m should have an aperture of about one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter, although a larger aperture may sometimes be desirable.

.As thus far described, it will be understood a that I have for the first time not only provided the return-fluewith two steam-jets, instead of one, as heretofore, but also that I have for the first time provided said flue with one or more jet-pipes coupled to and supplied from the cylinder steam-pipe. The use of the two jets arranged as described involves a driving force as exerted by the jet h, and'cooperating therewith the jet m involves an exhausting force, both of which are deemed by me to be essential for-properly controlling all of the solid matters and gases capable of being conveyed from the smoke-arch to the fire-box, and properly delivering them therein, below the brick arch, in a fit condition for combustion; and it is obvious that many of the advantages of employing these two jets will accrue whether they are coupledto the steam-pipe or directly with the steam-space of the boiler. For obtaining the best results, however, I couple them to the stea npipe, as shown, because then the operation of the steam-jets is more or less pulsatory or intermitting, corresponding to the intermitting reception of steam by the cylinders. This arrangement of the jets h and m renders them obviously dependent upon the supply of steam to the cylinders by way of the usual throttle-valve, g, and as the control and conveyance of sparks is desirable at all times, I have, as another novel feature, introduced into the return-flue a jet, n,-which is coupled to the usual blower-pipe, 0, having its jet at 0, adjacent to the top of the exhaust-pipe, as heretofore. This jet a may have an aperture varied in dimensions, but I get good results if it be about one-quarter of an inch in diameter, the diameter of the blower-jet 0 being about threeeighths of an inch in diameter. With the several jets thus organized it will be seen that,

should occasion require it, the blower-pipe jet 12, within the return-flue, can be employed to cooperate with either or both of the other jets, (assuming that but one of them be used therewith,) or by itself alone, as when the engineis at rest, or when on downgrades, no steam is required for the cylinders, and the fire needs draft. I

It will be seen that with the throttle closed and the engine in motion the pistons of the cylinders would be liable to induce a vacuum within the steam-pipe, and a consequent liability of a suction of abrasive matter through the jet-pipes h and m into the valve-chest and cylinders and to obviate thisI have introduced another novel feature, which consists in providin g the pipes h and m with check-valves 10, of a usual and well-known construction, it bein g only necessary to say that they open freely to the outward passage of steam, and close as freely when a vacuum has been induced within the steampipe.

'While I prefer to employ on a locomotive all of the several features of my invention, substantially as shown and described, it is obvious that some of them maybe advantageously employed independently, or in connection with other devices differing more or less in construction and arran gementfrom those specially devised by me.

In Figs. 4 and 5 I illustrate a construction and arrangement which slightly differs from that already described. -In this case the firebox b and brick arch c are of a different form from those shown in Fig. 1. I show here one or more air-ducts, 1/, in the fire-boxbelow the T furnace'door, and said ducts are guarded at the inner side by a perforated plate or box, 19 Opposite the exit-aperture of the spark-return flue D'iu the fire-box I show a deflecting-plate,

IIO

g, which is \/-shaped in cross-section, so as to divide the incoming stream of sparks and divert their course toward the two sides of the fire-box. The spark-return flue D here shown has a laterally widened mouth, D,

(shown in plan in Fig. 5,) but it has a central 1 upwardly-inclined mouth-piece,for connection, as before described,with the downwardly and rearwardly inclined mouth-piece d atthe bottom of the smoke-arch. At each side of the flaring mouth D there areopenings r for the admission of air, and a central vertical bolt, .9, serves as a lateral deflector for the stream of sparks and prevents their massing unduly at any one point. The bottom of the smoke-arch is inclined downwardly and rearwardly in straight lines, instead of being curved, as in Fig. 1, and thejet-pipe h is arranged and lo cated somewhat differently from that shown in Fig. 1, but it is connected to the steam-pipe O, substantially as before described. The spark-return flue has no gate or damper at its instead of being connected directly with the steam-pipe O, is connected to the steam-chest above one of the cylinders, as shown, thus affording a supply of steam precisely as when coupled to the steam-pipe, but requiring less pipe, being much more readily connected.

The exhaust-pipe e, blower pipe 0, and its jet 0, are constructed and arranged in a manner slightly differing from that shown in Fig.1; but the return-flue jet n, which is supplied from said blower-pipe, is substantially as before described.

Having thus described the several features of my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. The combination, with a locomotive-boiler and its steampipe for conveying steam to the cylinder, of a spark-return flue connecting the smoke-arch with the fire-box, and one or more steam-jets within said return-flue, supplied with steam by way of the cylinder steampipe, substantially as described.

2. The combination, witha spark-return flue leading from the smoke-arch to the fire-box of a locomotive-boiler, of two steam-jets within said flue, one operating as a driver for forcing the sparks from the smoke-arch into and along the flue, and" the other inducing a vacuum within the flue, between said first jet and the fire-box, substantially as described.

3. The combination, with aspark-return flue, and a steam-jet pipe within the entrance to said flue, of a water-jacket for the tip of said jetpipe, substantially as described.

4. Thecombinatiomwithalocomotive boiler, and a spark-return flue below said boiler entering the fire-box, of a smoke-arch having funnel-shaped sides and bottom, and communicating with the return-flue by a downwardly and rearwardly inclined funnel-moutl1,and the exhaust-pipe projecting upwardly through the funnel-shaped bottom of the smoke-arch, substantially as described. 1

5. Thecombination,withalocomotive-boiler, a spark-return flue below said boiler entering the tire-box, and a smoke-arch having funnelshaped sides and bottom and communicating with the return-flue by a downwardly and rearwardly inclined funnel-mouth, of a live-steamjet-pipe located within said funnel-mouth, substantially as described. v

6. The combination, with the boiler and a spark-return flue, of a smoke-arch having funnel-shaped sides and bottom, and filled in with fire-brick, substantially as described, whereby undue radiation and loss of heat from solid matters while in the smoke-arch are obviated, and enabling said heat to be utilized in the tirebox of the boiler, as set forth.

7. The combination, with the locomotiveboiler, spark-return flue, and blower-pipe, of a steamjet pipe within the return-flue and coupled to the blower pipe, substantially as de scribed, whereby the return-flue can be made to properly operate, whether the locomotive is at restor in motion, as set forth.

8. The combination, with a spark-returnflue leading from the smokearch to the fire-box, and located below the main portion of the boil er of a locomotive, and provided with an open front end, of a damper or gate at its entrance,

which is coupled to a rotating or rocking shaft operated by a rod from the cab of the locomotive, substantially as described, for variably admitting atmospheric oxygen to said flue,and thence to the fire-box, as set forth.

9. The combination, with aspark-return flue located below the main portion of a locomotive-boiler,of an agitating-rod within said flue, coupled to a cylinder-cock shaft, substantially as and for the purposes specified.

10. The combination, with a locomotive-boiler, of a spark-return flue leading from the smoke-arch to the fire-box above the grate, and provided with a series of openings at various points in its length, and with movable covers for said openings, substantially as described, whereby the interior of said flue may be readily inspected and clogged solid matter removed therefrom.

11. The combination of the spark-return flue, the steam-j et within said flue, supplied by steam from the cylinder steam-pipe, and provided with a check-valve which opens freely to the outward passage of steam, and closes under the influences of a vacuum within the steam-pipe, substantially as described, whereby the induction of solid abrasive matters to said steam-pipe and cylinder is prevented, as set forth.

GEO. H. GRIGGS.

\Vitnesses:

F. M. ORoNKarrE, H. O. SAWYER. 

